One thing you can say about this old boy is that folks will not forget him for quite some time. I would imagine that he will continue to be the conversation topic for many years to come!
Joseph Newton Chandler III
On July 30, 2002, Joseph Newton Chandler III, an elderly hermit from Eastlake, Ohio, committed suicide with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. An autopsy discovered the presence of colon cancer in his body, which likely motivated his decision to take his own life. When probate courts attempted to work out the man’s estate, they tracked down his surviving relatives. They were shocked to discover that nine-year-old Joseph Newton Chandler III had actually been killed in a car crash in Texas in 1945!
It turned out this unidentified man had been using Chandler’s identity for decades. In 1978, he had requested a copy of Chandler’s birth certificate and used it to apply for a Social Security card. Many theories were formed about who this man really was. Crime buffs began to speculate that “Chandler” might have been the Zodiac Killer since he bore a resemblance to the suspect’s composite sketch. They also noted that “Joseph Chandler” happened to be the name of an investigator who found one of Jack the Ripper’s victims. The man also bore a striking resemblance to Stephen Craig Campbell, a fugitive who had been wanted for attempted murder since 1982 and was never caught. However, there is no conclusive evidence to prove any of these theories, so no one knows the real story behind the man who stole the identity of Joseph Newton Chandler III.
I'd say the old man did a good job at hiding his real identity from everyone. Sad if they didn't find his true family, if he even had one! It's sad that he took his own life, though.
Coffee in the kitchen again this morning. It's nice and cool outside, but it's still a little rainy!
